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Listen To Your News		Thursday, March 4, 2010		News Archive

Roy Ashburn

STATE SENATOR ASHBURN ARRESTED FOR DUI Another elected official who represents Twentynine Palms has been arrested for driving under the influence. State Senator Roy Ashburn was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of driving under the influence, California Highway Patrol officials said. Ashburn, who represents Barstow, Twentynine Palms and all of north and eastern San Bernardino County, was arrested in Sacramento sometime after 2 a.m. and later released. In August of 2008 the Mayor Pro-Tem for the City of Twentynine Palms, Steve Spear, a Sheriff’s Sergeant, was arrested for DUI outside a Laughlin, Nevada, Casino.

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JUDGE APOLOGIZES TO MOTHER OF MURDERED YUCCA VALLEY BABY
The judge who refused to grant a restraining order against a man who later killed a Yucca Valley baby apologized Wednesday to the mother for comments he made to her in court. Judge Robert Lemkau had called Katie Tagle a liar when she tried to get a restraining order against her estranged boyfriend, Stephen Garcia, on January 21. Ten days later law enforcement authorities found Garcia and the couple’s 9-month-old son Wyatt shot to death in a car in Twin Peaks in an apparent murder-suicide. "I deeply apologize for my comments to you," Lemkau told Tagle at a court hearing in Victorville regarding custody mediation over the child. According to the Victor Valley Daily Press, Lemkau continued his apology as Tagle, of Yucca Valley, listened with tears in her eyes and a photo of her deceased son Wyatt in front of her on the table.

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CALTRANS SAYS THEY DIDN’T’ CHANGE YUCCA VALLEY SPEED LIMIT CHANGES
Did you notice the speed limits signs have changed in Yucca Valley? Well CalTrans said it wasn’t them, the town said it wasn’t them. Reporter Tami Roleff says caltrans is sending workers out to inform the left hand what the right was doing...
Someone has been having fun changing the speed limit signs on the highway in the West End of Yucca Valley. It used to be that the speed limit was 45 miles per hour from about Apache Trail to Kickapoo Trail, where it went up to 55 miles per hour just west of the Chrysler dealer. Last week, new signs lowered the speed limit to 40 miles per hour eastbound, starting around Shawn’s Market just east of Inca Trail. Going westbound on the highway, it appears that someone is anxious for drivers to leave the Town, since the speed limit goes back up to 45 miles per hour at Fox Trail, and the 55 miles per hour speed limit sign was moved to east of Kickapoo Trail. No one in the Town of Yucca Valley, to include Town staff, the mayor, or even the chief of police, was aware of the changed signs. When CalTrans was asked about the lowered speed limit, a spokeswoman denied that CalTrans was responsible for changing the signs. She added that the 55 miles per hour sign definitely will be moved back so it’s west of Kickapoo Trail. CalTrans will be sending out workers today to check out the rest of the signs. The spokeswoman then asked, ‘Doesn’t anybody have anything better to do than mess with CalTrans?’

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YUCCA VALLEY MAN HELD AFTER STABBING AND HITTING WIFE WITH RIFLE BUTT
A Yucca Valley man was arrested for assaulting his wife, stabbing her in the side, and hitting her with a rifle butt. Sheriffs officials said Tuesday evening about 6:30, the victim called 9-1-1 say her husband had assaulted her about an hour earlier, then left the home in the 5500 block of Paradise View Road. The woman said the suspect, Allen Williams 26, had a gun with him. Responding deputies found Williams at the Food for Less in Yucca Valley. Williams was not in possession of a firearm, but was holding suspected illegal drugs. Allen Williams was taken into custody for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon, being under the influence of a controlled substance, booked into the West Valley Detention Center and held on $50,000 bail.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS MAN ACCUSED OF SMOTHERING WIFE WITH PILLOW
A Twentynine Palms man is behind bars after he tried to smother his wife with a pillow. Sheriffs’ officials said Monday morning around 3:45, Deputy Scott Andrews responded to the 74900 block of Serrano Drive in Twentynine Palms, after a woman said her husband put a pillow over her face while she was sleeping. After investigating, Deputy Andrews arrested Antonio Jackson, 34, for investigation of Domestic Battery, booked him into the Morongo Basin jail, were he was held on $25,000 bail.

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YUCCA VALLEY WOMAN CUTS MAN’S FACE WITH BROKEN BOTTLE
A Yucca Valley Woman is behind bars after she cut a man in the face with a broken bottle. Sunday evening around 8:30, sheriff’s deputies received a call from a man at Super-One Foods, saying he had just been stabbed in the face with a bottle. The victim said he had gone to home in Yucca Valley to collect some money. While at the house, he was attacked by Trista Zwemke, 38. The victim walked to the Super-One store and called 9-1-1. After speaking with the victim, Deputies went to the home and arrested Zwemke for investigation of Assault with a deadly weapon, booked her into the Morongo Basin Jail on $50,000 bail.

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JOSHUA TREE MAC TO DISCUSS SECTION 33 TONIGHT
Special meeting of the Joshua Tree Municipal Advisory Council, the MAC, has been called for tonight. Reporter Dan Stork says the subject is "what to do about section 33"...
In the wake of the recently announced foreclosure and auction sale of Section 33 in Joshua Tree, the Joshua Tree Municipal Advisory Council has called a special meeting for Thursday March 4th to discuss the fate of the 640 acres, once intended as the site of the 2700-unit Joshua Tree Villas residential development. The Morongo Basin Conservation Association, which has been publicizing the meeting, is promoting the preservation of the land as a buffer zone between Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree, and as a wildlife corridor. The meeting starts at 7 PM in the Joshua Tree Community Center, 6171 Sunburst.

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JOSHUA TREE WOMAN HELD FOR ELDER ABUSE
A fight between mother and daughter saw a Joshua Tree woman cited for elder abuse. Sheriffs’ officials said Sunday morning around 1, deputies’ responded to a 9-1-1 call of a fight in the 61400 block of Verbena Road. Deputy Scott Andrews investigated and found that Meecole Herrera 42, and her mother had been involved in a fight. Meecole Herrera was cited for elderly abuse and released.

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YUCCA VALLEY MAN CITED FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING AFTER ABANDONING VEHICLE
A Yucca Valley man was cited for illegal dumping after he left an old Ford Bronco near a recycling facility in Yucca Valley. Sheriffs’ spokeswoman Vera Martinez said Monday afternoon around 12:45, employees from Wulf’s Recycling reported at a stripped down black Ford Bronco was lying on its roof in the road near the 7300 block of Hopi Trail. Responding deputies followed the drag marks back to near by home. After investigating, deputies contacted Justin Walker, 24, who said he had dragged the hulk to the recycling center after he had stripped it down. Justin Walker was cited for illegal dumping and released.

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Bill Neeb Chad Mayes George Huntington Lori Herbel Frank Luckino

YUCCA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL REVISED COMMERCIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES The Yucca Valley Town Council revised its commercial design guidelines Tuesday night. Reporter Tami Roleff explains... After a flap over the new paint colors on the building occupied by Strata Tattoo, Wikid Prints, and No Limits, the Yucca Valley Planning Commission revised the commercial design guidelines which included a color palette of suggested paint colors. At the Town Council’s meeting Tuesday night, the Council objected to telling business owners what colors to paint their buildings.

Council member Frank Luckino said he had an issue with the third item in the guidelines, which stated that a business owner should choose a color in consideration of the surrounding buildings, and that the building’s new color should be a "good neighbor" and not clash visually with adjacent buildings. Mayor Chad Mayes agreed, saying that deciding what color a building should be painted is not one of the critical elements of government, which should be focused on the public’s health, safety, and welfare. He felt the guidelines were creating more bureaucratic red tape for business owners and wasn’t even sure a color palette was needed. In the end, the Council approved the revised commercial design guidelines minus the offending Item 3. In other business, the Council approved a revised ordinance that exempted businesses that underwent minor building expansions from having to make improvements to the street, such as gutters and sidewalks, and improvements to drainage facilities; and having to put utility lines underground, among other items.

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TWENTYNINE PALMS FIRM WINS DEFENSE EMPLOYER SUPPORT AWARD
AA Twentynine Palms employer, Southwest Region Fleet Transportation, was among 160 in California to be nominated for the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. Nominating the employers for the distinction were 190 California Guard and Reserve service members. The award, instituted in 1996, has gone to only 130 companies or employers in the nation. The Freedom Awards, announced in the summer, will be presented at a September 23 ceremony in Washington, D.C.

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YUCCA VALLEY NOON ROTARY SPONSORING OPENING OF WALMARTOPIA
The Rotary Club of Yucca Valley, noon, will host the opening night of the satirical musical "Walmartopia" at Theater 29. Reporter Mike Lipsitz tells you how to get tickets...
Theatre 29 presents the West Coast Premiere of the musical satire Friday March 12 at 7 p.m. Opening night’s audience will enjoy hors d’ouvres and refreshments with $25 ticket sales going to local charity projects. These gala tickets are available at Windermere Realty, Mojave Mortgage, Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce, and here at Z107.7 Studios in Joshua Tree. Under the direction of Charles Harvey, Walmartopia follows the "Campy, caustic and comically irresistible" story of a whistle blowing single mom. The show ran off Broadway in 2006 where it was a surprise favorite of the New York International Fringe Festival" and enjoyed lavish praise from the "Village Voice" and NewYorkTheater.com. Theatre 29 is the only West Coast Theatrical Organization to secure rights to the show. It runs for five weekends beginning March 12, with a Thursday night show March 25th, and a Sunday Matinee April 4th. After opening night, seats are $8 to $12. Orders your seats at 760-361-4151, or online at theatre29.com. 　For Z107.7 News, this is assignment reporter Mike Lipsitz.

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BEARD CONTEST ENTRY DEADLINE EXTENDED
Yucca Valley Grubstake Days organizers are extending the deadline to enter the revival of the annual beard contest. They have changed the date to March 15th that participants would come into the Yucca Valley Community Center office clean shaven to get their picture taken and pay the 3 bucks to enter the contest. The contest will feature several categories in both Division A (New Beards) and Division B (Existing Beards). Judging will take place at the Grubstakes Community Fair at the Yucca Valley Community Center grounds on Saturday, May 29th, 2010. To learn more about the contest, contact Maureen Randall at the Town of Yucca valley Community Services Office, 760-369-7211.

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COUNTY STUDENT ART SHOW THIS WEEKEND
A countywide student art show will on display this weekend. ROP Broadcast Student Jose Cruz invites you to "Art Shapes the World"...
A San Bernardino County Art Month show, "Art Shapes the World", is coming to Joshua Tree. Invite your family and friends to see this year’s nominated masterpieces done by some of the most talented students from the Morongo Basin. The free County Art show will be held March 6 and 7, in Friendship Hall at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. There will be an award reception Sunday afternoon, March 7 from 3 to 5.

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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SCHEDULES
The Yucca Valley High School Trojan Baseball team is up against the Joshua Springs High School Lighting at Lighting Field, tomorrow, with the first pitch at 3:15. The Twentynine Palms High School Lady Wildcat softball team is down the hill competing in the Palms Springs tournament Friday and Saturday, and the Twentynine Palms Wildcat Boys’ Baseball team is at home Friday versus Loma Linda Academy, with the first pitch at 3:15.

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